Lady Gaga must have some little monsters at Duke University. Botanists at Duke have named a new fern genus after the singer.

According to Duke University, the scientists are naming 19 species of ferns after Lady Gaga. The ferns were found in parts of Central and South America as well as in Mexico, Texas and Arizona. Two of the 19 species are brand new to science, according to Duke University.

The two new ferns are named Gaga germanotta, from Costa Rica, and Gaga monstraparva. Gaga germanotta gets its name after Lady Gaga’s real name, Stefani Germanotta, while Gaga monstraparva is named after Lady Gaga's fans, whom she calls “little monsters.”

What does the fern genus have in common with Lady Gaga? Well, for starters, the fern shares DNA with Gaga. Not human DNA but the genetic sequence. There are four nucleotides that combine to form DNA, adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine. For the fern genus, the genetic sequence spells out GAGA.

Thanks to the DNA analysis by the researchers, the 17 ferns that were classified under the Cheilanthes genus of ferns will be now reclassified under the Gaga genus.

Study leader Kathleen Pryer, director of the Duke Herbarium, said in a statement, "We wanted to name this genus for Lady Gaga because of her fervent defense of equality and individual expression."

The DNA sequence wasn’t the only thing that tied the ferns to Lady Gaga. During the reproductive stage of the ferns, the cells looked like the dress Lady Gaga wore for the 2010 Grammy Awards, right down to the color.

The Duke researchers are big fans of Lady Gaga, according to Pryer. "We often listen to her music while we do our research. We think that her second album, 'Born this Way,' is enormously empowering, especially for disenfranchised people and communities like LGBT, ethnic groups, women -- and scientists who study odd ferns!" Pryer said in a statement.

This is the second creature science has named after Lady Gaga this year. In September, a new species of wasp, Aleiodes Gaga, found in Thailand was named after Lady Gaga.

To contact the editor, e-mail: